Geranium plant named &#39;storm cloud&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of geranium named ‘Storm Cloud’ that is distinguishable by palmate, deeply cleaved foliage which is dark green in color together with red-purple margins which extend into the leaves. ‘Storm Cloud’ bears single and semi-double flowers which are dark blue in color and which contain red-purple stamens and modified petaloid stamens appearing as a red-purple “eye” within the flower.

Genus and species: Geranium pratense (L.).

Variety denomination: ‘Storm Cloud’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims the benefit of priority from CommunityPlant Variety Rights Application No. 20211282 as filed on May 14, 2021,the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference for all itteaches and discloses.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Geranium,botanically known as Geranium pratense (L.) and hereinafter referred toby the variety name ‘Storm Cloud’. ‘Storm Cloud’ originated from an openpollination in 2015 in Ty-Cwm, Wales, Great Britain from a group ofgeranium plants named ‘Victor Reiter’ Group. The inventor believes thatCalifornia nurseryman Victor Reiter bred and introduced Geranium ‘VictorReiter’ (unpatented) as a dark-leafed Geranium pratense in the 1970s.Seeds and seed-raised plants from ‘Victor Reiter’ are widely circulatedin commerce, with some variations. It is common for nurserymen to offerthe variety as Geranium ‘Victor Reiter’, or Geranium ‘Victor Reiter’Group, or Geranium ‘Victor Reiter’ Strain. The inventor selected ‘StormCloud’ as a single seedling raised from seed collected from plants inproduction at the inventor's nursery, acquired as Geranium ‘VictorReiter’ Group'. The female parent of ‘Storm Cloud’ is an unnamedseed-raised derivative of Geranium ‘Victor Reiter’.

A seedling was selected in 2015 and subsequently named ‘Storm Cloud’.‘Storm Cloud’ was first vegetatively propagated by division in Ty-Cwm,Wales. ‘Storm Cloud’ was found to reproduce true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation via tissue culture in Ty-Cwm, Wales.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Ty-Cwm, Wales.

-   -   1. The foliage of ‘Storm Cloud’ is palmate and deeply cleaved.    -   2. The foliage of ‘Storm Cloud’ is dark green in color, with        red-purple margins which extend into the leaves.    -   3. ‘Storm Cloud’ bears single and semi-double flowers.    -   4. The flowers of ‘Storm Cloud’ are dark blue in color.    -   5. The semi-double flowers of ‘Storm Cloud’ bear smaller inner        petals and modified petaloid stamens.    -   6. The stamens and modified petaloid stamens of ‘Storm Cloud’        are red-purple in color, appearing as a red-purple “eye” within        the flower.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new Geranium plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich shows:

FIG. 1 shows a fifteen months old plant of ‘Storm Cloud’ grown in a pot;and

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the flowers of ‘Storm Cloud’.

The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Storm Cloud’. Observations, measurements, values,and comparisons were collected in July 2022 in Santa Barbara, Calif.from a fifteen months old plant which was growing outdoors in full sunin a 3 gallon container in Santa Barbara, Calif., with one pinch afterinitial cutting establishment and without any chemical growthregulators. Color determinations were made in accordance with The 2007Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart from London England, exceptwhere general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Geraniaceae.        -   Botanical.—Geranium pratense (L.).        -   Common name.—Geranium.        -   Designation.—‘Storm Cloud’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed seed-raised derivative of Geranium            ‘Victor Reiter’.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed seed-raised derivative of Geranium            ‘Victor Reiter’.-   Plant:    -   -   Propagation method.—Division or tissue culture.        -   Rooting system.—Slightly fleshy, developing fibrous root            branches and fine root hairs. Root color 199D, root hair            color NN155C.        -   Vigor.—Moderate vigor.        -   Time to develop roots.—2-3 weeks to develop roots on a            division or for a tissue culture explant to become viable on            its own roots.        -   Recommended rooting temperature.—20° C.-22° C.        -   Crop time.—Approximately 15 months are required to produce a            budded and flowering plant in a 1 gallon container. Larger            containers require a longer period of growth in order to            fill out.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continually from May to September.        -   Suggested container size.—1-gallon container.        -   Use.—Ornamental for use as a landscape plant or container            plant.        -   Type.—Perennial.        -   Form.—Upright, vase-shaped becoming spreading when mature in            the landscape.        -   Height (from top of soil).—First year: 35.0 cm. Mature: 60.0            cm.        -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—First year: 30.0 cm.            Mature: 40.0 cm.        -   Cultural requirements.—Grow in full sun with moderate water            and well-draining soil.        -   Hardiness.—Hardy to −20° C.-   Stems, branches:    -   -   Description.—All primary stems are basal, arising at or from            below ground level. Basal stems bear secondary or lateral            branches at each node.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 40, of which 12-15 are primary basal            stems and 25-30 are secondary branches.        -   Shape.—Terete.        -   Length.—8 cm to 10 cm measured to base of inflorescence.        -   Diameter.—3.5 mm at base, 2 mm at base of inflorescence.        -   Aspect.—The primary basal stems are upward growing; the            secondary or lateral branches emerge and grow upward at            approximately 30° away from the primary stems.        -   Internode length (primary and secondary stems).—Varies            between 2 cm and 4 cm.        -   Stem and branch color.—Initial growth and in full shade:            Green 145A-145B. Stems exposed to sun rapidly develop            anthocyanin pigmentation, color 184A.        -   Stem surface.—Puberulent.        -   Stem strength.—Semi-stiff, wiry.-   Leaves:    -   -   Shape.—Orbicular overall, palmate, deeply cleft into 6-8            lobes, each lobe itself cleft into 5-7 secondary lobes.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Attachment.—Sessile.        -   Aspect.—Slightly raised above horizontal.        -   Quantity per branch.—6-10 (3-5 opposite pairs).        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Dimensions overall.—11 cm in diameter.        -   Dimensions of each lobe.—5.5 cm in length, 3 cm in width.        -   Dimensions of each secondary lobe.—0.5-1.5 cm in length,            0.3-0.6 cm in width.        -   Margin overall and lobes.—Smooth.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Veins.—Adaxial surface: depressed, color as leaf. Abaxial            surface: raised, color as leaf.        -   Texture (both surfaces).—Slightly rough, glabrous, matte.        -   Color.—Adaxial surface: N189A. Abaxial surface: N138C.            Margins, including lobe margins: 187A extending inwards up            to 1 mm into adaxial surface.        -   Apex (including all lobes).—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate. Lobes basally fused.        -   Fragrance.—Very slight, grass-like.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—8 mm-12 mm.        -   Shape.—Terete.        -   Diameter.—1.5 mm.        -   Color.—184A.        -   Texture.—Puberulent, very fine short hairs, color as            peduncle, 184A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Terminal raceme. Flowers arranged in opposite pairs.        -   Length.—8 cm to 10 cm.        -   Width.—5 cm.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—6 mm-12 mm.        -   Diameter.—1.0-1.5 mm.        -   Color.—184A.        -   Texture.—Puberulent, very fine short hairs, color as            peduncle, 184A.-   Stipules: Present in opposite pairs at base of pedicel.    -   -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Dimensions.—7 mm in length, 3 mm in width.        -   Color (both surfaces).—61B.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous, margins entire.-   Calyx:    -   -   Shape.—Campanulate.        -   Dimensions.—5 mm in height, 22 mm in diameter (across sepal            apices).-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity, arrangement.—5, free.        -   Length.—9 mm.        -   Width.—4 mm when flattened.        -   Shape.—Boat shaped, adaxial surface concave.        -   Apex.—Acuminate with single fine hair extending 2 mm-3 mm,            hair color 187A.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—Adaxial surface: 147B. Abaxial surface: 189A with 3-5            parallel longitudinal veins, color 187A.        -   Texture.—Adaxial surface: Glabrous, glossy. Abaxial surface:            Glabrous, matte.-   Flowers:    -   -   Type.—Cyme.        -   Quantity.—Up to 30 buds and flowers per branch, and            approximately 400-500 buds and flowers per plant, of which            approximately one-fifth are open at any one time.        -   Shape.—Rotate, single and semi-double.        -   Dimensions.—3.5 cm-4.0 cm in diameter. Single flowers            consist of 5 free petals. Semi-double flowers consist of one            whorl of 5 free outer petals and 3-5 free inner smaller            petals or petaloid stamens.        -   Lastingness of blooms.—Petals not persistent. Each flower            lasts for approximately 5 days.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Bud (immediately prior to petal emergence):    -   -   Shape.—Ellipsoidal, apex shallow acute, base rounded.        -   Dimensions.—8 mm in length, 6 mm in diameter.        -   Surface.—Ribbed (5 longitudinal ribs), puberulent, very            short fine hairs, color 187A. Strongly pubescent, especially            apex. Hairs dense, fine, 1 mm in length, color 71A.        -   Color.—189A with 3-5 parallel longitudinal veins, color            187A.-   Petals (single flowers):    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Arrangement.—Rotate, free and overlapping when opening,            non-overlapping when flower fully expanded.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.        -   Petal dimensions.—18 mm-20 mm in length, 14 mm-15 mm in            width.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Smooth, entire.        -   Surfaces (both).—Smooth, glabrous, semi-glossy.        -   Petal color (both surfaces).—At first opening, 101A; when            fully expanded, 104C.        -   Petal base and veins.—Color very pale blue, almost white,            nearest to N155A.-   Petals (semi-double flowers):    -   -   Description.—Semi-double flowers consist of one whorl of            outer petals as in single flowers, and one inner whorl of            irregularly shaped smaller petals or a combination of            smaller petals and modified (petaloid) stamens.        -   Inner petals or petaloid stamens.—Quantity: 5, varying from            1 petal and 4 petaloid stamens to 5 petaloid stamens.            Arrangement: Rotate, free, petals (where present)            overlapping. Shape: Irregular, obovate to spatulate.            Dimensions: 6 mm-10 mm in length, 2 mm-7 mm in width.            Margin: Smooth, entire. Surfaces (both): Smooth, glabrous,            semi-glossy. Petal color (inner petals, both surfaces): 104C            with occasional streaks 71B. Petaloid stamen color:            Predominantly 71B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity: 10 including up to 5 modified (petaloid)            stamens. Filament (true stamens) dimensions: 2 mm-4 mm in            length, 1.5 mm in diameter. Filament color: 70D-71D.            Anthers: Shape, dimensions: ellipsoid, 2.5 mm in length, 1.5            mm in width. Anther color: 151C. Pollen: None observed.        -   Pistil.—Quantity: 1. Style dimensions: 3 mm in length, 1.5            mm in diameter. Style color: 70D. Stigma: botanically 5, but            appear as one roughly circular mass. Color: 144B.        -   Ovary (only observed unfertilized).—Shape: Ovoid, length 1.5            mm, diameter 1 mm. Color: 150B.-   Seed: None observed.-   Pest and disease resistance and susceptibility: Resistant to slugs    and rabbits, susceptible to aphids (aphis gossypii) when stressed.    Less susceptible to powdery mildew (Erysiphacea spp.) that affects    perennial geraniums generally.-   Drought tolerance: Drought tolerant.

COMPARISON WITH PARENT VARIETY

‘Storm Cloud’ can be compared to the parent commercial variety ‘MidnightReiter’ (not patented). Differences between the two varieties aredescribed in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parent Variety Characteristic ‘Storm Cloud’‘Midnight Reiter’ Size Taller and wider than Shorter and narrower than‘Midnight Reiter’ ‘Storm Cloud’ Flower color Darker and more Lighter andless intense than intense blue than ‘Storm Cloud’ ‘Midnight Reiter’

COMPARISON WITH CLOSE VARIETY

All commercial varieties of Geranium pratense known to the inventor onlybear single flowers with the exception of Geranium pratense ‘SummerSkies’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,695.) Whereas the flowers of ‘StormCloud’ are dark blue and semi-double in form, the flowers of ‘SummerSkies’ are pale violet-blue and more fully double in form.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium Plant Named ‘Storm Cloud’ as described and illustrated herein. 